System and Method for Low Power Searching in Content Addressable Memories Using Sample Search Words to Save Power in Compare Lines

1. A method for low power searching in a content addressable memory (CAM), comprising the operations of: comparing a sample section of stored data to a corresponding sample section of search data on a plurality of rows in the CAM; allowing a remaining section of search data to propagate to local compare lines coupled to a remaining section of the stored data of each row if a sample section of the stored data on any row of the plurality of rows is equivalent to the corresponding sample section of the search data; and latching the local compare lines coupled to the remaining section of the stored data on each row if the sample section of the stored data is different from the corresponding sample section of the search data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the operation of loading the search data onto global compare lines, each global compare line spanning a width of the CAM.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising the operation of providing results of a comparison between the sample section of the stored data and the corresponding sample section of the search data for each row of the plurality of rows as an inputs to logic gate.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising the operation of allowing search data to propagate from the global compare lines to the local compare lines if an output of the logic gate indicates a comparison result is a match.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising the operation of latching the local compare lines if the output of the logic gate indicates all the comparison results are misses.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the remaining section of the stored data is not compared to the corresponding remaining section of the search data if the sample section of the stored data is different from the corresponding section of the search data.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sample section of the stored data is smaller than the remaining section of the stored data.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein a match line coupled to the stored comprises a first section and a second section, both the first section and the second section being coupled to a latch via gate.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein a first portion of the sample section of the stored data is coupled to the first section of the match line and a second portion of the sample section of the stored data is coupled to the second section of the match line.

10. A match line for a content addressable memory (CAM), the match line being one of a plurality of match lines forming a group of match lines, the match line comprising: a sample match line coupled to a first set of CAM cells; a sub-match line coupled to a second set of CAM cells, each CAM cell of the second set of CAM cells being coupled to local compare lines, the local compare lines being in electrical communication with global compare lines via a plurality of local compare line latches; and a compare line propagation control circuit coupled to the local compare line latches, wherein the compare line propagation control circuit latches the local compare lines if a sample section of search data corresponding to the first set of CAM cells is different from data stored in the first set of CAM cells for each sample match line in the group of match lines.

11. A match line as recited in claim 10 , wherein the compare line propagation control circuit allows the search data to propagate from the global compare lines to the local compare lines if the sample section of search data corresponding to the first set of CAM cells is equivalent to data stored in the first set of CAM cells for any sample match line in the group of match lines.

12. A match line as recited in claim 11 , wherein the compare line propagation control circuit includes a logic gate having a plurality of inputs, each input of the logic gate being in electrical communication with the sample match line of each match line in the group of match lines.

13. A match line as recited in claim 12 , wherein the search data is allowed to propagate from the global compare lines to the local compare lines if an output of the logic gate indicates a match on any sample match line of the group of match lines.

14. A match line as recited in claim 13 , wherein the local compare lines are latched if the output of the logic gate indicates a miss on all the sample match lines of the group of match lines.

15. A content addressable memory (CAM), comprising: a group of match lines, each match line including a sample match line coupled to a first set of CAM cells, and a submatch line coupled to a second set of CAM cells, each CAM cell of the second set of CAM cells being coupled to a pair of local compare lines; a plurality of global compare lines, each global compare lines spanning a width of the CAM, each global compare line in electrical communication with a plurality of local compare lines via a plurality of local compare line latches; and a compare line propagation control circuit coupled to the local compare line latches, wherein the compare line propagation control circuit latches the local compare lines if a sample section of search data corresponding to the first set of CAM cells is different from data stored in the first set of CAM cells for each sample match line in the group of match lines.

16. A CAM as recited in claim 15 , wherein the compare line propagation control circuit allows the search data to propagate from the global compare lines to the local compare lines if the sample section of search data corresponding to the first set of CAM cells is equivalent to data stored in the first set of CAM cells for any sample match line in the group of match lines.

17. A CAM as recited in claim 16 , wherein the compare line propagation control circuit includes a logic gate having a plurality of inputs, each input of the logic gate being in electrical communication with the sample match line of each match line in the group of match lines.

18. A CAM as recited in claim 16 , wherein the search data is allowed to propagate from the global compare lines to the local compare lines if an output of the logic gate indicates a match on any sample match line of the group of match lines.

19. A CAM as recited in claim 18 , wherein the local compare lines are latched if the output of the logic gate indicates a miss on all the sample match lines of the group of match lines.